Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 9 votes

Old Fashioned Lemon Squares

These sweet and tangy old-fashioned lemon squares are easy to make from scratch with just 10 minutes of prep!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 24 squares
Calories: 196 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, melted
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup confectioners sugar, plus extra for dusting at the end
FOR THE FILLING:
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish or line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
Prepare Crust:
  1. In a large bowl, stir together melted butter, flour and confectioners sugar until completely combined.
  2. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish. I like to use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to gently press the crust into an even layer. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
Prepare Filling:
  1. While the crust is in the oven, make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and baking powder. Add the eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk until completely combined.
  2. Pour the filling over the hot crust. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
  3. Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with additional powdered sugar.
  4. Slice into squares and serve.

Notes

  • Use a glass baking dish if possible, or a ceramic dish as an alternative. Metal pans can sometimes give the bars a metallic aftertaste.
  • Use freshly-squeezed lemon juice (not bottled juice) for the best flavor.
  • When zesting the lemon, be sure that you’re only scraping off the outer layer of the peel (this is where the essential oils and delicious flavor can be found). Be careful not to grate any of the bitter white pith from the fruit.
  • Allow the bars to cool completely before dusting with sugar and slicing. I like to cool the bars at room temperature for about 1 hour, and then refrigerate the pan for at least 2 more hours before cutting.
  • If you notice little white bubbles on the top of your bars after baking, that's totally normal. These little air bubbles rise to the top as the eggs cook. Just dust the cool bars with powdered sugar and the bubbles will be undetectable.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1square Calories 196kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 48mg (16%) Sodium 79mg (3%) Potassium 36mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 19g (38%) Vitamin A 276IU (6%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 12mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24squares

Amount Per Serving

Calories 196

% Daily Value*

Serving 1square
Calories 196kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 79mg 3%
Potassium 36mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 19g 38%
Vitamin A 276IU 6%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.